2009 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ADDS WORLD PREMIERE OF THE WINNING SEASON TO LINE UP

Park City, UT(RushPRnews)December 29, 2008—Sundance Institute announced today the addition of THE WINNING SEASON to the films screening at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in the out-of-competition Premieres section. THE WINNING SEASON will have its world premiere on Monday, January 19 at 8:30 p.m. at the Library Center Theatre in Park City. The 25th Sundance Film Festival runs January 15-25, 2009 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance, Utah. A complete list of the films is available at Sundance Institute’s website at www.sundance.org/festival.

Directed by Jim Strouse (Lonesome Jim, Grace is Gone), The Winning Season stars Sam Rockwell as an adult misfit brought on to coach his local girl's high school basketball team. Cast: Emma Roberts, Rob Corddry, Shareeka Epps and Emily Rios.

“We are thrilled to welcome back to the Festival Jim Strouse who once again displays his talent for storytelling in this superbly witty film,” said Geoffrey Gilmore, Director, Sundance Film Festival. “The Winning Season is a completely gratifying cinematic drama marked by sharp dialogue and perfectly toned performances."

For the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, 118 feature-length films were selected including 91 world premieres, 16 North American premieres and 5 U.S. premieres representing 21 countries with 42 first-time filmmakers, including 28 in the non-competition categories. These films were selected from 3,661 feature film submissions composed of 1,905 U.S. and 1,756 international feature-length films.

2009 Sundance Film Festival Sponsors
The 2009 Sundance Film Festival Sponsors help sustain not only the Festival but also the year-round programs of the non-profit Sundance Institute. Their support is crucial to the Institute's mission of nurturing independent artists, inspiring risk-taking, and encouraging diversity in the arts. This year's Festival Sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors - Entertainment Weekly, HP and Honda; Leadership Sponsors - American Express, Delta Air Lines, DIRECTV, Google, Microsoft Corporation and; Sustaining Sponsors - Blockbuster Inc., the National Milk Mustache "got milk?"® Campaign, Le Tourment Vert Absinthe Francaise, L’Oréal Paris, The New York Times, Ray-Ban, Sony Electronics, Inc., Stella Artois®, Timberland, and Utah Film Commission. Sundance Channel is the Official Television Network of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is the premier showcase for U.S. and international independent film, held each January in and around Park City, Utah. Presenting 120 dramatic and documentary feature-length films in seven distinct categories, and 80 short films each year, the Sundance Film Festival has introduced American audiences to some of the most ground-breaking films of the past two decades, including sex, lies, and videotape, Maria Full of Grace, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Trouble the Water and Central Station.

Sundance Institute
Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, Sundance Institute is a not-for-profit organization that fosters the development of original storytelling in film and theatre, and presents the annual Sundance Film Festival. Internationally recognized for its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, film composers, playwrights and theatre artists, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as Angels in America, Spring Awakening, Boys Don't Cry and Born into Brothels.

Media Contact
Brooks Addicott, 435.658.3456
brooks_addicott@sundance.org: